Windows Server 2008 admin tools for Vista
Now available and in the "must download" list of software.
Microsoft® Remote Server Administration Tools enables IT administrators to remotely manage roles and features in Windows Server® 2008 from a computer running Windows Vista® with Service Pack 1 (SP1).
Download Link (x86) | Download Link (x64)
While you are out, pick up the HyperV admin console for Vista SP1 as well.
Loading multiple drivers into a PE 2.0 image
Here's one that had us searching around the Internet the other day. We were adding drivers to a Windows PE 2.0 (Vista/2008) image with the PEIMG command. Unfortunately, as with most environments, we have a room full of servers with all different makes and models. In order to make the PE image as flexible as possible, we needed to include a large section of our driver library.
How to do it fast? Well, you could write a nifty script, or you could use the good 'ol FOR command.
for /R .\ %i in (*.inf) do peimg /inf=”%i” e:\winpe_x86\mount\Windows
Simple. I love it. Tip of the hat goes to J. Greg for the idea. (one of those "hey, that's so simple why didn't we think of that!" moments).
Active Directory & Exchange Schema Versions
If you are running into environments and working on aspects of them such as Exchange, OCS, PKI, or other Active Directory integrated applications, you will encounter situations where you may need to update the AD schema. Of course, the first question is, what version am I at today?
Here's a handy way to find out:
Query for the objectVersion attribute of the CN=Schema,CN=Configuration,DC=yourdomainhere of your Active Directory domain and compare the value to the table below.
I've provided links to the schema update information (where available), if you are curious as to what is updated in each.
| objectVersion | AD Schema Update |
| 13 | Windows 2000 Server |
| 30 | Windows Server 2003 ** |
| 31 | Windows Server 2003 R2 |
| 44 | Windows Server 2008 |
** The Windows Server 2003 upgrade from 2000 also adds the CN=Windows2003Update,CN=ForestUpdates,CN=Configuration,DC=yourdomainhere and sets its revision attribute to 9. This hasn't been used again, yet.
Exchange Server saves the current version of its schema updates in an attribute of two locations.
For /forestprep operations, query the rangeUpper attribute of the CN=ms-Exch-Schema-Version-Pt,CN=Schema,CN=Configuration,DC=yourdomainhere object.
For /domainprep operations, query the Microsoft Exchange System Objects object in each domain for its objectVersion value.
The table below provides the number to version translation.
| Value | Exchange Version |
| 4406 | Exchange 2000 Server |
| 6936 | Exchange Server 2003 |
| 10628 | Exchange Server 2007 |
Recommended Reading
- Virtual Roads, Actual Clouds: VMware 2010
- Exchange 2010 SP1 FAQ and Known Issues
- Performance Analysis of Logs (PAL) Tool: version 2.0 released
- MS Exchange PST Infestation: What do you do with all that data?
- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube: But where's the social CIO?
- Microsoft Broadcaster for bloggers, user group leads and IT departments.
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- I am down to 1 sticky note left on my pad. A good omen that I run out on the last day of work before vacation.
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- RT @CIOsConnect: Is Enterprise Architecture Left or Right Brained? http://bit.ly/aYXvUA #cio #ea #tedx Interesting question by @chrisonea
Twitter Favorites
- mediagazer: Why You (Still) Can't Cut the TV Cord: It's Not Technical, It's Just Business (@listeningpost /... http://j.mp/d72Mj4 http://mgzr.us/A0V1
- ScriptingGuys: Microsoft Windows #PowerShell Programming for the Absolute Beginner, http://amzn.to/9g1XPM #ScriptingGuys
- CIOsConnect: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube: But where's the social CIO? http://cot.ag/a559D6 Me: Does the modern #CIO really have time to focus on all that?
- psilvas: Can cloud have SLA without a management platform? Managing SLA. #vmworld
- jones_rd: @cswolf - VMware vCenter metadata isn't extensible - this is a huge block to further automation/integration #VMworld
- nflambert: RT @rwhiteley0: Seems like VMware is conceding "desktop virtualization" market & going for over-the-top strategy w/ SSO, SaaS, & cloud
- nflambert: Offline VDI makes no sense. Why checkout VM 2 untrusted device? Laptop users need flexibility 2 run multiple VMs on 1 device @glennodonnell
- virtualtacit: #BC8432 No application consistentency day one, or log management. No compression within the replication stream. #VMworld
- cote: Hearing about the "post-ITIL world" at #vmworld: "ITIL is right in it's concept, the problem is with implementation" -Boaz Chalamish
- reillyusa: "Manage the user locally but extend identity to the cloud" #vmworld Oh dear Lord, no. No, no, no.